Your COVID-19 Management Team met this week to talk about the current situation. As you know, cases have begun to rise again and a new variant has emerged. At the same time, we believe that most of our congregation is vaccinated (children are getting their first doses) and you all have been excellent about wearing masks in large, indoor gatherings.

Here is our latest guidance for the life of the Church:

• Please continue to wear a mask when you come into the building for worship, meetings, or other sizable gatherings.
• However, if you are a small group that meets regularly (e.g. a prayer group) and you are all comfortable with it, you may choose not to wear masks.
• We will continue not to serve coffee and other refreshments after worship as long as the situation warrants continued wearing of masks indoors.
• Food events already scheduled may proceed (e.g. Holly Days, Book Club pot-luck, Keefer Open House), but we ask that no other food events be scheduled until Lent.
• Rooms where food is served will be considered to have half their regular capacity.
• PW may continue to serve funeral meals as they choose, reinforcing their policy of limiting the number in Fellowship Hall to 100.

Thank you for your cooperation; we will revisit these guidelines before Ash Wednesday (March 2) or sooner if the situation calls for it.

Pastor Bob